Port Huron is a city in the U.S. state of
Michigan
Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...
and the
county seat
A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...
of
St. Clair County.
The population was 30,184 at the
2010 census. The city is adjacent to
Port Huron Township but is administered separately.
Located along the
St. Clair River
The St. Clair River (french: Rivière Sainte-Claire) is a U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed November 7, 2011 river in central North America which flows from Lake Huron int ...
, it is connected to
Point Edward, Ontario
Point Edward is a village in the Canadian province of Ontario. Adjacent to the city of Sarnia in Lambton County, Point Edward sits opposite Port Huron, Michigan and is connected to it by the Blue Water Bridge, at the meeting point of the St. Cl ...
in
Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
via the
Blue Water Bridge
The Blue Water Bridge is a twin-span international bridge across the St. Clair River that links Port Huron, Michigan, United States, and Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Water Bridge connects Highway 402 in Ontario with both Interstate 69 ...
. The city lies at the southern end of
Lake Huron and is the easternmost point on land in Michigan. Port Huron is home to two paper mills, Mueller Brass, and many businesses related to
tourism
Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring (disambiguation), touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tour (disambiguation), tours. Th ...
and the
automotive industry
The automotive industry comprises a wide range of company, companies and organizations involved in the design, Business development, development, manufacturing, marketing, and selling of motor vehicles. It is one of the world's largest industry ...
. The city features a historic downtown area, boardwalk, marina, museum, lighthouse, and the
McMorran Place
McMorran Arena is an entertainment complex in Port Huron, Michigan consisting of a 4,800-seat multi-purpose arena and a theater. It was designed by Alden B. Dow and built in 1960 for $3.5 million (equivalent to $ million today). The exterior o ...
arena and entertainment complex.
History
This area was long occupied by the
Ojibwa people. French colonists had a temporary trading post and fort at this site in the 17th century.
In 1814 following the War of 1812, the United States established Fort Gratiot at the base of Lake Huron. A community developed around it. The early 19th century was the first time a settlement developed here with a permanent European-American population. In the 19th century, the United States established an
Ojibwa reservation in part of what is now Port Huron, in exchange for their cession of lands under treaty for European-American settlement. But in 1836, under
Indian Removal
Indian removal was the United States government policy of forced displacement of self-governing tribes of Native Americans from their ancestral homelands in the eastern United States to lands west of the Mississippi Riverspecifically, to a de ...
, the US forced the Ojibwa to move west of the
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...
and resettle in what are now the states of Wisconsin and Minnesota.
In 1857, Port Huron became incorporated. Its population grew rapidly after the 1850s due a high rate of immigration: workers leaving poverty, famine, and revolutions in Europe were attracted to the successful
shipbuilding
Shipbuilding is the construction of ships and other floating vessels. It normally takes place in a specialized facility known as a shipyard. Shipbuilders, also called shipwrights, follow a specialized occupation that traces its roots to befo ...
and
lumber
Lumber is wood that has been processed into dimensional lumber, including beams and planks or boards, a stage in the process of wood production. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, wi ...
industries in Michigan. These industries supported development around the Great Lakes and in the Midwest. In 1859 the city had a total of 4,031 residents; some 1855, or 46%, were foreign-born or their children (first-generation Americans).
By 1870, Port Huron's population exceeded that of surrounding villages. In 1871, the State Supreme Court designated Port Huron as the county seat of St. Clair County.
On October 8, 1871, the city, as well as places north in
Sanilac and
Huron counties, burned in the
Port Huron Fire of 1871. A series of other fires leveled
Holland
Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former province on the western coast of the Netherlands. From the 10th to the 16th c ...
and
Manistee, Michigan, as well as
Peshtigo, Wisconsin
Peshtigo ( ) is a city in Marinette County, Wisconsin, Marinette County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 3,420 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census The city is surrounded by the Peshtigo (town), Wisconsin, Town of Peshtigo ...
and
Chicago, Illinois
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
, map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago
, coordinates =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name ...
on the same day. The
Thumb Fire The Thumb Fire took place on September 5, 1881, in the Thumb area of Michigan in the United States. The fire, which burned over a million acres (4,000 km²) in less than a day, was the consequence of drought, hurricane-force winds, heat, the af ...
that occurred a decade later, also engulfed Port Huron.
In 1895 the village of Fort Gratiot, in the vicinity of the former Fort Gratiot, was annexed by the city of Port Huron.
The following historic sites have been recognized by the State of Michigan through its historic marker program.
* Fort St. Joseph. The fort was built in 1686 by the French explorer Duluth. This fort was the second European settlement in lower Michigan. This post guarded the upper end of the St. Clair River, the vital waterway joining Lake Erie and Lake Huron. Intended by the French to bar English traders from the upper lakes, the fort in 1687 was the base of a garrison of French and Indian allies. In 1688 the French abandoned this fort. The site was incorporated into Fort Gratiot in 1814. A park has been established at the former site of the fort.
* Fort Gratiot Light. The
Fort Gratiot Lighthouse
Fort Gratiot Light , the first lighthouse in the state of Michigan, was constructed north of Fort Gratiot in 1829 by Lucius Lyon, who later became one of Michigan's first U.S. Senators.
The Fort Gratiot Light marks the entrance to the St. Clai ...
was built in 1829 to replace a tower destroyed by a storm. In the 1860s workers extended the tower to its present height of . The light, automated in 1933, continues to guide shipping on Lake Huron into the narrow and swift-flowing St. Clair River. It was the first lighthouse established in the State of Michigan.
*
Lightship ''Huron''. From 1935 until 1970, the ''Huron'' was stationed in southern Lake Huron to mark dangerous shoals. After 1940 the ''Huron'' was the only lightship operating on the Great Lakes. Retired from
Coast Guard Service in 1970, she was presented to the City of Port Huron in 1971.
* Grand Trunk Railway Depot. The depot, which is now part of the Port Huron Museum, is where 12-year-old
Thomas Edison
Thomas Alva Edison (February 11, 1847October 18, 1931) was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices in fields such as electric power generation, mass communication, sound recording, and motion pictures. These inventio ...
departed daily on the Port Huron–Detroit run. In 1859, the railroad's first year of operation, Edison convinced the railroad company to let him sell newspapers and confections on the daily trips. He became so successful that he soon placed two newsboys on other Grand Trunks running to Detroit. He made enough money to support himself and to buy chemicals and other experimental materials.
* Port Huron Public Library. In 1902 the city of Port Huron secured money from philanthropist
Andrew Carnegie
Andrew Carnegie (, ; November 25, 1835August 11, 1919) was a Scottish-American industrialist and philanthropist. Carnegie led the expansion of the American steel industry in the late 19th century and became one of the richest Americans i ...
to erect a municipal library and arranged for matching operating funds. In 1904, a grand Beaux-Arts-style structure was built at a cost of $45,000. At its dedication,
Melvil Dewey, creator of a widely used book classification system, delivered the opening address. The Port Huron Public Library served in its original capacity for over sixty years. In 1967, a larger public library was constructed. The following year the former library was renovated and re-opened as the Port Huron Museum of Arts and History. An addition was constructed in 1988.
* Harrington Hotel. The hotel opened in 1896 and is a blend of Romanesque, Classical and Queen Anne architecture. The hotel closed in 1986, but a group of investors bought the structure that same year to convert it into housing for senior citizens. The Harrington Hotel is listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
.
*
Grand Trunk Western Railroad Tunnel. The tunnel was opened in 1891 and links Port Huron with Canada. This international submarine railway tunnel was the first international tunnel in the world. The tunnel's total length is , with underwater. The tunnel operations were electrified in 1908; half a century later they were converted to use diesel fuel. Tracks were lowered in 1949 to accommodate larger freight cars. During
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, a plot to blast the tunnel was foiled. A new tunnel has since been opened.
The city was hit by a violent
F4 tornado on
May 21, 1953, damaging or destroying over 400 structures, killing two, and injuring 68.
The city received the
All-America City Award
The All-America City Award is a community recognition program in the United States given by the National Civic League. The award recognizes the work of communities in using inclusive civic engagement to address critical issues and create strong ...
in 1955 and 2005.
In June 1962, the
Port Huron Statement
The Port Huron Statement is a 1962 political manifesto of the American student activist movement Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). It was written by SDS members, and completed on June 15, 1962, at a United Auto Workers (UAW) retreat outside ...
, a
New Left manifesto, was adopted at a convention of the
Students for a Democratic Society
Students for a Democratic Society (SDS) was a national student activist organization in the United States during the 1960s, and was one of the principal representations of the New Left. Disdaining permanent leaders, hierarchical relationships ...
. The convention did not take place within the actual city limits of Port Huron, but instead was held at a
United Auto Workers
The International Union, United Automobile, Aerospace, and Agricultural Implement Workers of America, better known as the United Auto Workers (UAW), is an American labor union that represents workers in the United States (including Puerto Rico) ...
retreat north of the city (now part of
Lakeport State Park).
Port Huron is the only site in Michigan where a
lynching
Lynching is an extrajudicial killing by a group. It is most often used to characterize informal public executions by a mob in order to punish an alleged transgressor, punish a convicted transgressor, or intimidate people. It can also be an ex ...
of an African-American man took place. On May 27, 1889, in the early morning, a mob of white men stormed the county jail to capture 23-year-old Albert Martin. A mixed-race man, he was accused of attacking a woman. They hanged him from the 7th Street Bridge. A memorial was installed in 2018 at the site, recounting Martin's history. The city collaborated with the
Equal Justice Initiative
The Equal Justice Initiative (EJI) is a non-profit organization, based in Montgomery, Alabama, that provides legal representation to prisoners who may have been wrongly convicted of crimes, poor prisoners without effective representation, and oth ...
on this memorialization.
Historic photographs
File:PortHuron1902.jpg, Port Huron circa 1902
File:Huron Avenue, Port Huron, MI.jpg, Huron Avenue in 1912
File:St Clair River Tunnel - Port Huron Michigan.jpg, St. Clair Tunnel in 1907
File:Fort Gratiot Lighthouse postcard - Port Huron Michigan.jpg, Gratiot Lighthouse in 1902
File:Fort Gratiot Lighthouse (2).jpg, Fort Gratiot Lighthouse
Geography
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the city has a total area of , of which is land and is water.
The city is considered to be part of
the Thumb
The Thumb is a region and a peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan, so named because the Lower Peninsula is shaped like a mitten. The Thumb area is generally considered to be in the Central Michigan region, east of the Tri-Cities and north of M ...
area of
East-Central Michigan, also called the
Blue Water Area
The Thumb is a region and a peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan, so named because the Lower Peninsula is shaped like a mitten. The Thumb area is generally considered to be in the Central Michigan region, east of the Tri-Cities and north of M ...
. The easternmost point (on land) of Michigan can be found in Port Huron, near the site of the Municipal Office Center and the wastewater treatment plant. The
Black River divides the city in half, snaking through Port Huron and emptying into the St. Clair River near Downtown.
Climate
Port Huron has a
humid continental climate
A humid continental climate is a climatic region defined by Russo-German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1900, typified by four distinct seasons and large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and freezing ...
(
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
''Dfa'') with hot summers, cold winters and rain or snow in all months of the year.
Demographics
Port Huron is the largest city in
the Thumb
The Thumb is a region and a peninsula of the U.S. state of Michigan, so named because the Lower Peninsula is shaped like a mitten. The Thumb area is generally considered to be in the Central Michigan region, east of the Tri-Cities and north of M ...
area, and is a center of industry and trade for the region.
2010 census
As of the
census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses incl ...
of 2010, there were 30,184 people, 12,177 households, and 7,311 families residing in the city. The
population density
Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopul ...
was . There were 13,871 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 84.0%
White
White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White o ...
, 9.1%
African American
African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...
, 0.7%
Native American, 0.6%
Asian
Asian may refer to:
* Items from or related to the continent of Asia:
** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia
** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia
** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...
, 1.2% from
other races
Other often refers to:
* Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy
Other or The Other may also refer to:
Film and television
* ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack
* ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...
, and 4.5% from two or more races.
Hispanic
The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad.
The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...
or
Latino
Latino or Latinos most often refers to:
* Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America
* Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States
* The people or cultures of Latin America;
** Latin A ...
of any race were 5.4% of the population.
There were 12,177 households, of which 32.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 34.5% were
married couples living together, 19.9% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 40.0% were non-families. 33.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.42 and the average family size was 3.03.
The median age in the city was 35.8 years. 25.6% of residents were under the age of 18; 9.9% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 26.3% were from 25 to 44; 25.2% were from 45 to 64; and 13.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 47.8% male and 52.2% female.
Culture
* There are a number of museums in town. The
Port Huron Museum is a series of four museums, namely:
**
Carnegie Center (Port Huron Museum)
**
Huron Lightship
Huron may refer to:
People
* Wyandot people (or Wendat), indigenous to North America
* Wyandot language, spoken by them
* Huron-Wendat Nation, a Huron-Wendat First Nation with a community in Wendake, Quebec
* Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatom ...
**
Thomas Edison Depot Museum
The Thomas Edison Depot Museum (previously the Grand Trunk Western Railroad Depot) is a former railway depot located at 520 State Street in Port Huron, Michigan. It has been converted into a museum. The building was listed on the National Registe ...
**
Fort Gratiot Lighthouse
Fort Gratiot Light , the first lighthouse in the state of Michigan, was constructed north of Fort Gratiot in 1829 by Lucius Lyon, who later became one of Michigan's first U.S. Senators.
The Fort Gratiot Light marks the entrance to the St. Clai ...
* The Great Lakes Maritime Center offers opportunities to learn about the history of the Great Lakes. Freighters pass within of the glass windows, and there is an underwater live camera feed.
*The Desmond District Demons is a horror film festival, held at the end of October annually. The festival focuses on elevating the horror genre, hosting independent film screenings alongside a Dark Arts Exhibition showcasing local artists.
*The Black River Film Society is a community focused on cultivating the areas independent film screenings and host regular film related events, such as premiering
Stockholm (2018 film) in Michigan, Tough Guy: The Bob Probert Story and Sincerely Brenda.
* The School for Strings presents over 50 concerts each year with its Fiddle Club, Faculty, and Student Ensembles. It provides music education across the area.
* Each year, the
Port Huron to Mackinac Boat Race The Bayview Mackinac Boat Race is run by the Bayview Yacht Club of Detroit, Michigan. It is one of the longest fresh-water races in the world with over two hundred boats entering the race each year.
There have been at least six changes to the co ...
is held, with a starting point in Port Huron north of the
Blue Water Bridge
The Blue Water Bridge is a twin-span international bridge across the St. Clair River that links Port Huron, Michigan, United States, and Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. The Blue Water Bridge connects Highway 402 in Ontario with both Interstate 69 ...
. The race finishes at
Mackinac Island
Mackinac Island ( ; french: Île Mackinac; oj, Mishimikinaak ᒥᔑᒥᑭᓈᒃ; otw, Michilimackinac) is an island and resort area, covering in land area, in the U.S. state of Michigan. The name of the island in Odawa is Michilimackinac an ...
, crossing Lake Huron. It is considered by some boaters to be a companion to the longer
Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac
The Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac is a annual yacht race starting in Lake Michigan off Chicago, Illinois, and ending in Lake Huron off Mackinac Island, Michigan. It is hosted and managed by the Chicago Yacht Club. The "Mac" (as it is know ...
.
* The
Port Huron Civic Theatre
The Port Huron Civic Theatre (formerly Port Huron Little Theatre) is a historical theatre which started in 1956 in the town of Port Huron, Michigan. For sixteen years, PHLT brought 84 productions to the McMorran Place Theatre stage. In 1976, the ...
began in 1956 by a group of theater lovers. Since 1983, it has used
McMorran Place
McMorran Arena is an entertainment complex in Port Huron, Michigan consisting of a 4,800-seat multi-purpose arena and a theater. It was designed by Alden B. Dow and built in 1960 for $3.5 million (equivalent to $ million today). The exterior o ...
for its productions.
* The Blue Water Film Festival (2010-2014) was held in the fall, which had notables such as
Chris Gore
Christopher Patrick Gore (born September 5, 1965) is an American speaker and writer on the topic of independent film.
Life and career
Gore was born in Big Rapids, Michigan and attended Kimball High School in Royal Oak, Michigan. Gore is the hea ...
,
Sid Haig,
Curtis Armstrong,
Timothy Busfield
Timothy Busfield (born June 12, 1957) is an American actor and director. He has played Elliot Weston on the television series ''thirtysomething''; Mark, the brother-in-law of Ray Kinsella (Kevin Costner) in ''Field of Dreams''; and Danny Concann ...
,
Loni Love
Loni Love (born July 14, 1971) is an American comedian, television host, actress, author, and former electrical engineer. While working as an electrical engineer in the early 2000s, she switched to music engineering, until later launching a caree ...
,
Dave Coulier
David Alan Coulier ( ; born September 21, 1959) is an American actor, stand-up comedian, impressionist, and television host. He played Joey Gladstone on the ABC sitcom ''Full House'', voiced Peter Venkman on ''The Real Ghostbusters'', and voiced ...
.
* The main branch of the St. Clair County Library is located in downtown Port Huron. The library contains more than 285,300 books, nearly 200 magazine subscriptions, and over 22,700 books on tape, books on compact disc, music compact discs, cassettes, and videos.
* The International Symphony Orchestra of
Sarnia
Sarnia is a city in Lambton County, Ontario, Canada. It had a Canada 2021 Census, 2021 population of 72,047, and is the largest city on Lake Huron. Sarnia is located on the eastern bank of the junction between the Upper and Lower Great Lakes w ...
,
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
and Port Huron, Michigan perform events at McMorran Place, Port Huron Northern Theatre and Temple Baptist Church in Sarnia.
* Encompassing over 100 homes and buildings, the Olde Town Historic District is Port Huron's first and only residential historic district. The Olde Town Historic Neighborhood Association is an organization working to preserve historic architecture in Port Huron. They have hosted an annual historic home tour, flower plantings and beautification and neighborhood Christmas decorations.
*The Welkin Base Ball Club is Port Huron's historic
vintage base ball
Vintage base ball is baseball presented as if being played by rules and customs from an earlier period in the sport's history. Games are typically played using rules and uniforms from the 19th century. Vintage base ball is not only a competiti ...
team. Modeled on Port Huron's first baseball club from 1867, the Welkin Base Ball Club re-creates the time of baseball's roots.
Pop culture
A reference to the
Port Huron Statement
The Port Huron Statement is a 1962 political manifesto of the American student activist movement Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). It was written by SDS members, and completed on June 15, 1962, at a United Auto Workers (UAW) retreat outside ...
was made in the Coen Brothers film ''
The Big Lebowski
''The Big Lebowski'' () is a 1998 crime comedy film written, produced, and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen. It stars Jeff Bridges as Jeffrey "The Dude" Lebowski, a Los Angeles slacker and avid bowler. He is assaulted as a result of mistaken ...
''.
In 2009 the TV show ''
Criminal Minds
''Criminal Minds'' is an American police procedural crime drama television series created and produced by Jeff Davis (writer), Jeff Davis. The series premiered on CBS on September 22, 2005, and originally concluded on February 19, 2020; it was r ...
'' used Port Huron, and
Detroit
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...
as locations for an episode involving crossing the border into
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
.
Sports
Port Huron has had a strong tradition of minor league hockey for many years.
The
Port Huron Flags
The Port Huron Flags were a minor league professional ice hockey team located in Port Huron, Michigan. The Flags competed in the International Hockey League between 1962 and 1981. For three of those seasons from 1971 to 1974, Port Huron was a fa ...
played in the original
International Hockey League from 1962 to 1981, winning three
Turner Cup
The Turner Cup was the championship trophy of the International Hockey League from 1945 to 2001 and the renamed United Hockey League from 2007 to 2010. The Cup was named for Joe Turner, a goaltender from Windsor, Ontario. Turner became professi ...
championships in 1966, 1971 and 1972. Its leading career scorers were
Ken Gribbons, who played most of his career in the IHL;
Bob McCammon
Robert McCammon (April 14, 1941 – December 23, 2021) was a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and a National Hockey League (NHL) and American Hockey League (AHL) head coach and general manager. He was a pro scout with the Detroit Red Wing ...
, a lifelong IHLer who went on to be a
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
coach with the
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games in Well ...
and the
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...
;
Bill LeCaine and
Larry Gould, who played a handful of NHL games with the
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have playe ...
and the
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division of the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...
, respectively.
Legendary
NHL
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
hockey broadcaster
Mike Emrick started his career doing
play-by-play
In sports broadcasting, a sports commentator (also known as sports announcer or sportscaster) provides a real-time commentary of a game or event, usually during a live broadcast, traditionally delivered in the historical present tense. Radio was ...
hockey for the Flags on AM 1450
WHLS
WHLS (1450 AM) is an alternative rock radio station licensed to Port Huron, Michigan, with a power output of 1,000 watts, covering much of St. Clair County, Michigan. The station is owned by Radio First and broadcasts from studios on Huron Aven ...
in the mid 1970s. Emrick would go on to broadcast Olympic hockey games and Stanley Cup playoffs for
NBC Sports
NBC Sports is an American programming division of the broadcast network NBC, owned and operated by NBC Sports Group division of NBCUniversal and subsidiary of Comcast. The division is responsible for sports broadcasts on the network, and its d ...
, and is a frequent guest contributor to sister station
WPHM
WPHM (1380 AM) is a news/ talk/sports radio station licensed to Port Huron, Michigan, with a power output of 5,000 watts, covering much of The Thumb area of Michigan. The station is owned by Radio First and broadcasts from studios on Huron Avenu ...
.
Port Huron was also represented in the
Colonial Hockey League
Colonial or The Colonial may refer to:
* Colonial, of, relating to, or characteristic of a colony or colony (biology)
Architecture
* American colonial architecture
* French Colonial
* Spanish Colonial architecture
Automobiles
* Colonial (1920 au ...
(also operating under the names United Hockey League and International Hockey League), with franchises from 1996 until the league folded in 2010. Originally called the
Border Cats, the team was renamed the Beacons in 2002, the Flags in 2005 and the Icehawks in 2007. Among the more notable players were
Bob McKillop
Robert McKillop (born July 13, 1950) is an American college basketball coach who is the former head coach of the Davidson Wildcats men's team of the Atlantic 10 Conference.
Early basketball career
Born in Queens, New York, McKillop grew up in Qu ...
,
Jason Firth
Jason Firth (born March 29, 1971) is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey player. He is the leader in career assists and points for the United Hockey League.
Junior career
Firth played Tier II junior hockey for the Ottawa Jr. Senators of ...
, Tab Lardner and
Brent Gretzky
Brent Gretzky (born February 20, 1972) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player, and the brother of Wayne and Keith Gretzky. He briefly played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Playing career
Gretzky wa ...
.
The
Port Huron Fighting Falcons
The Keystone Ice Miners were a Junior A Tier II ice hockey team based at The Ice Mine arena in Connellsville, Pennsylvania. The team moved to Connellsville in May 2014; prior to the move, the team was known as the Port Huron Fighting Falcons.
...
of the junior
North American Hockey League played at McMorran Place, beginning in 2010 until 2013. The team moved to Connellsville, PA for the 2014 season. The team's name was changed to the
Keystone Ice Miners
The Keystone Ice Miners were a Junior A Tier II ice hockey team based at The Ice Mine arena in Connellsville, Pennsylvania. The team moved to Connellsville in May 2014; prior to the move, the team was known as the Port Huron Fighting Falcons.
...
.
Port Huron is also home to the
Port Huron Prowlers
The Port Huron Prowlers are a minor professional ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of spo ...
of the
Federal Prospects Hockey League
The Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL) is a professional ice hockey independent minor league with teams in the Midwestern, Southern, and Northeastern United States. The FPHL began operations in November 2010 as the Federal Hockey League. D ...
.
The
Port Huron Pirates
The Port Huron Pirates were a professional indoor football team based in Port Huron, Michigan. The team was a charter member of the Great Lakes Indoor Football League (GLIFL) joining the league in 2006 as an expansion team. The Pirates were the ...
indoor football team dominated the
Great Lakes Indoor Football League
The Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL) was an indoor football league based along the Midwestern United States region that played nine seasons from 2006 to 2014. It began play in April 2006 as the Great Lakes Indoor Football League (GLI ...
up until their departure to
Flint, MI
Flint is the largest city and seat of Genesee County, Michigan, United States. Located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit, it is a principal city within the region known as Mid Michigan. At the 2020 census, Flint had a population of ...
.
McMorran Arena
McMorran Arena is an entertainment complex in Port Huron, Michigan consisting of a 4,800-seat multi-purpose arena and a theater. It was designed by Alden B. Dow and built in 1960 for $3.5 million (equivalent to $ million today). The exterior of ...
once again hosted indoor football with the
Port Huron Predators of the
Continental Indoor Football League
The Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL) was an indoor football league based along the Midwestern United States region that played nine seasons from 2006 to 2014. It began play in April 2006 as the Great Lakes Indoor Football League (GLIF ...
in 2011. The Predators failed to finish the
2011 season, and were replaced in
2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
by the
Port Huron Patriots
The Port Huron Patriots were a professional indoor football team based in Port Huron, Michigan. The team was a member of the North Division of the Continental Indoor Football League (CIFL). The Patriots joined the CIFL in 2012 as an expansion t ...
who also participated in the CIFL.
Parks
The City of Port Huron owns and operates 17 waterfront areas containing and of water frontage. This includes three public beaches and six parks with picnic facilities. The city also has nine scenic turnout sites containing over 250 parking spaces. Port Huron operates the largest municipal marina system in the state and has five separate locations for boat mooring.
The city has 14 public parks, 4 smaller-sized “tot” parks, 19 playgrounds (City owned), 9 playgrounds (School owned), 33 tennis courts, including 16 at schools and 6 indoors, 3 public beaches, 4 public swimming pools, 1 community center, and 1 public parkway.
Government
The city government is organized under a
council–manager government
The council–manager government is a form of local government used for municipalities, counties, or other equivalent regions. It is one of the two most common forms of local government in the United States along with the mayor–council gover ...
form. The City Council is responsible for appointing a city manager, who is the chief administrative officer of the city. The manager supervises the administrative affairs of the city and carries out the policies established by the City Council. As the Chief Administrative Officer, the City Manager is responsible for the organization of the administrative branch and has the power to appoint and remove administrative officers who are responsible for the operation of departments which carry out specific functions. The City Council consists of seven elected officials—a mayor and six council members. Beginning with the 2011 election, citizens voted separately for Mayor and Council. Council members will serve staggered four-year terms and the mayor will serve a two-year term. The current mayor is former city clerk Pauline Repp. The city levies an income tax of 1 percent on residents and 0.5 percent on nonresidents.
Federally, Port Huron is part of
Michigan's 10th congressional district
Michigan's 10th congressional district is a United States congressional district in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, covering a region known as the Thumb. It consists of all of Huron, Lapeer, St. Clair, and Sanilac Counties; as well as most ...
, represented by Republican
Lisa McClain
Lisa Carmella McClain ( Iovannisci; born April 7, 1966) is an American politician who serves as the U.S. representative for since 2021. A member of the Republican Party, she won election to the state's redrawn 9th district in the 2022 electio ...
, elected in 2020.
Education
;High schools
*
Port Huron Northern High School
*
Port Huron High School
* Harrison Center
;Colleges
*
St. Clair County Community College
Economy
Industry
Some of Port Huron's earliest industries, like most Michigan towns, were related to the agriculture industry. A large grain elevator was located on the St. Clair River just north of the current Municipal Office Center. A bean dock was located on the St. Clair River, where dry edible beans from points north in the Thumb were loaded into ships. The dock operated as the Port Huron Terminal Company. Currently the bean dock is used as an event venue. Port Huron was also a national leader in the
chicory
Common chicory (''Cichorium intybus'') is a somewhat woody, perennial herbaceous plant of the family Asteraceae, usually with bright blue flowers, rarely white or pink. Native to the Old World, it has been introduced to North America and Austra ...
coffee substitute industry. Future Congressman
Henry McMorran
Henry Gordon McMorran (June 11, 1844 – July 19, 1929) was an American Republican politician and businessman.
He served five terms in the U.S. Congress as a U.S. Representative from Michigan's 7th congressional district from March 4, 190 ...
in 1902 started Port Huron's chicory processing plant, located on the Black River near 12th Avenue. A second chicory plant operated at 3rd and Court Streets in Port Huron, which would later be purchased by McMorran's son. The roadside weed which grew in areas of the Thumb and Saginaw Valleys was brought to Port Huron for processing and then shipped worldwide. Chicory was commonly used as a coffee substitute especially in wartime.
Wartime also brought another industry to Port Huron: the Mueller Metals Company, which built a factory in Port Huron in 1917. The plant primarily made
shell casings
A cartridge or a round is a type of pre-assembled firearm ammunition packaging a projectile (bullet, shot (pellet), shot, or shotgun slug, slug), a propellant substance (usually either smokeless powder or black powder) and an ignition device ( ...
for World War I. The factory was originally owned by the
Mueller Co., and since has been spun off into its own entity called Mueller Industries. The Port Huron Factory is still in operation, located on Lapeer Road on the city's west side, where they produce a variety of valves and fittings.
The Peerless Cement Company operated a cement plant just south of the Blue Water Bridge from the 1920s through the 1970s. The waterfront site is now the location of the Edison Inn and Blue Water Convention Center.
There are two paper mills in Port Huron. Dunn Paper operates a specialty paper mill at the mouth of the St. Clair River just north of the Blue Water Bridge.
Domtar
Domtar Corporation is an American company that manufactures and markets wood fiber-based paper and pulp product. The company operates pulp and paper mills in Windsor, Quebec, Dryden, Ontario, Kamloops, British Columbia, Ashdown, Arkansas, Hawesv ...
also operates a paper mill in Port Huron, located on the Black River. It was originally built in 1888 by the
E. B. Eddy Company
The E. B. Eddy Company was a Canadian pulp and paper company, now a division of Domtar Inc. At the time of the purchase, the company had facilities in Hull, Quebec, Timmins, Ontario, Espanola, Ontario, Chapleau, Ontario, Pembroke, Ontario, Sault ...
. The Domtar mill also specializes in specialty papers for the medical and food service industries. Adjacent to the Domtar Mill is the site of the former Acheson Colloids Company. Dr. Edward Acheson in 1908 founded the company, which made a variety of chemical and carbon-based products. The factory was purchased by
Henkel and closed in 2010. However, Henkel continues to manufacture ink and carbon products under the Acheson brand.
A variety of factories related to the
automotive industry
The automotive industry comprises a wide range of company, companies and organizations involved in the design, Business development, development, manufacturing, marketing, and selling of motor vehicles. It is one of the world's largest industry ...
occupy Port Huron's Industrial Park on the city's south side. Many of these produce plastic components for vehicles.
Shipbuilding
Jenks Shipbuilding Company was founded in 1889, renamed in 1903 as ''Port Huron Shipbuilding'' and ceased operations sometime after 1908. The shipyard was found on the north bank of the Black River between Erie Street and Quay Street which is now a parking area for Bowl O Drome and Port Huron Kayak Launch.
Ships built by Jenks includes:
*
SS John B. Cowle - bulk freighter 1902
*
MS Normac - former fireboat and floating restaurant 1902
Healthcare
Port Huron is served by two acute care facilities,
McLaren Port Huron (formerly known as Port Huron Hospital), and Lake Huron Medical Center (formerly known as St. Joseph Mercy Hospital Port Huron).
McLaren Health Care Corporation
McLaren Health Care Corporation is an integrated, managed care health care organization in the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. McLaren operates 14 hospitals, ambulatory surgery centers, imaging centers, a primary and specialty care physician netw ...
, a nonprofit
managed care health care organization based in
Flint
Flint, occasionally flintstone, is a sedimentary cryptocrystalline form of the mineral quartz, categorized as the variety of chert that occurs in chalk or marly limestone. Flint was widely used historically to make stone tools and start fir ...
, purchased the former Port Huron Hospital and began operating the 186-bed facility as Mclaren Port Huron in May 2014.
Lake Huron Medical Center, is a 144-bed facility operated by
Ontario, California
Ontario is a city in southwestern San Bernardino County in the U.S. state of California, east of downtown Los Angeles and west of downtown San Bernardino, the county seat. Located in the western part of the Inland Empire metropolitan area, ...
based
Prime Healthcare Services
Prime Healthcare Services is a United States privately held healthcare company. It was established in 2001, by chairman and CEO Prem Reddy, MD, and operates 45 hospitals in 14 states. It is affiliated with the nonprofit Prime Healthcare Foundation ...
. The for-profit company purchased the former St. Joseph Mercy Port Huron hospital in September 2015 from
Trinity Healthcare. Upon completion of the sale, the formerly non-profit Catholic institution converted to a for-profit entity.
Finance
Port Huron's longtime financial institution was Citizens Federal Bank. The financial institution's headquarters was located in Port Huron with branches throughout the Thumb. The bank's name was changed to Citizens First in 1997. In early 2010, Citizens First was closed by the Michigan Office of Financial and Insurance Regulation. It the first bank in Michigan to fall victim of the
financial crisis of 2007–2008
Finance is the study and discipline of money, currency and capital assets. It is related to, but not synonymous with economics, the study of production, distribution, and consumption of money, assets, goods and services (the discipline of fi ...
. The assets of Citizens First were acquired by First Michigan bank of Troy. First Michigan would be renamed
Talmer Bancorp
Talmer Bancorp was a bank holding company headquartered in Troy, Michigan. It was the parent company of Talmer Bank & Trust and operated banks in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. In 2016, it was acquired by Chemical Financial (now TCF Financi ...
before being purchased by Chemical Financial Corporation (now
TCF Financial Corporation
TCF Financial Corporation was a bank holding company based in Detroit, Michigan. The current incarnation of the company was formed by a 2019 merger between the former TCF, which was established in 1923 in Wayzata, Minnesota, and the Michigan-b ...
) in 2016.
Media
Radio
The first station to sign on in Port Huron was
WHLS
WHLS (1450 AM) is an alternative rock radio station licensed to Port Huron, Michigan, with a power output of 1,000 watts, covering much of St. Clair County, Michigan. The station is owned by Radio First and broadcasts from studios on Huron Aven ...
, coinciding with the opening of the Blue Water Bridge in 1938. It was founded by Harold Leroy Stevens and
Fred Knorr Frederick August Knorr II (July 9, 1913
''Sports Illustrated'', February 18, 1957 – Dec ...
. John Wismer became part owner of the station in 1952. He would later launch the first
cable television
Cable television is a system of delivering television programming to consumers via radio frequency (RF) signals transmitted through coaxial cables, or in more recent systems, light pulses through fibre-optic cables. This contrasts with broa ...
system in Port Huron and
WSAQ
WSAQ (107.1 FM) is a country music radio station licensed to Port Huron, Michigan, with an effective radiated power of 6,000 watts. WSAQ covers St. Clair County, Michigan and Lambton County, Ontario as well as portions of Macomb, Lapeer, and S ...
in 1983. Wismer died in 1999.
The Times Herald launched its own radio station in 1947 known as WTTH. That station would later become
WPHM
WPHM (1380 AM) is a news/ talk/sports radio station licensed to Port Huron, Michigan, with a power output of 5,000 watts, covering much of The Thumb area of Michigan. The station is owned by Radio First and broadcasts from studios on Huron Avenu ...
, and was bought by Lee Hanson in 1986. WPHM got FM sister station
WBTI
WBTI is a Top 40 radio station licensed to Lexington, Michigan at 96.9 MHz on the FM dial, with an effective radiated power of 3,000 watts. WBTI covers Sanilac County, Michigan and Lambton County, Ontario as well as portions of Lapeer and ...
in 1992. Wismer and Hanson were direct competitors until they were both bought by Bob Liggett's
Radio First
Radio First (Liggett Communications, L.L.C.) is a privately held radio broadcasting company in Michigan owned by Victoria L. Liggett. Liggett Communications is headquartered in Port Huron where it owns five radio stations licensed to St. Clair ...
in 2000.
Radio First
Radio First (Liggett Communications, L.L.C.) is a privately held radio broadcasting company in Michigan owned by Victoria L. Liggett. Liggett Communications is headquartered in Port Huron where it owns five radio stations licensed to St. Clair ...
owns and operates five radio stations in the region while Port Huron Family Radio is the licensee of sole station
WGRT
WGRT (102.3 FM) is an adult contemporary radio station in Port Huron, Michigan. It is owned by Port Huron Family Radio and broadcasts with a power of 3,000 watts. WGRT signed on in October 1991. The station airs a satellite-delivered AC format ( ...
. Non-commercial stations include St. Clair County Regional Education Service Agency's
WRSX
Michigan Radio is a network of five FM public radio stations operated by the University of Michigan through its broadcasting arm, Michigan Public Media. The network is a founding member of National Public Radio and an affiliate of Public Radio ...
, high school station
WORW
WORW (91.9 FM, "The Wave") is a high school radio station located in Port Huron Northern High School broadcasting a CHR/Top 40 format. Licensed to Port Huron, Michigan, it first began broadcasting on September 30, 1981.
In fall of 2005, Faculty ...
, and religious broadcasters
WNFA
WNFA (88.3 FM broadcasting, FM) is a Christian radio, Christian teaching/Worship music, worship radio station in Port Huron, Michigan, United States, branded as "Bluewater Christian Hit Radio". WNFA broadcasts with 1,300 watts.
WNFA formerly feat ...
and
WNFR
WNFR, broadcasting at 90.7 FM, is an Adult Contemporary Christian music and talk radio station licensed to Sandusky, Michigan. WNFR has a studio located in Port Huron
Port Huron is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of S ...
.
The following is a list of broadcast radio stations that provide local content to the Port Huron Area. Other stations may be heard area over the air however their content is not directed to residents of the city.
Local FM
*
WNFA
WNFA (88.3 FM broadcasting, FM) is a Christian radio, Christian teaching/Worship music, worship radio station in Port Huron, Michigan, United States, branded as "Bluewater Christian Hit Radio". WNFA broadcasts with 1,300 watts.
WNFA formerly feat ...
88.3 FM, Port Huron, Religious, ''Blue Water Christian Hit Radio''
*
CBEG-FM 90.3 FM, Sarnia (relays
CBEW-FM
CBEW-FM (97.5 MHz) is the call sign of the CBC Radio One station based in and serving Windsor, Ontario, Canada. CBEW broadcasts from transmission facilities at McGregor and also reaches the nearby Detroit area and parts of Southwestern Ontario ...
), Public, ''CBC Radio One''
*
WNFR
WNFR, broadcasting at 90.7 FM, is an Adult Contemporary Christian music and talk radio station licensed to Sandusky, Michigan. WNFR has a studio located in Port Huron
Port Huron is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the county seat of S ...
90.7 FM, Port Huron, Religious, ''Wonderful News Radio''
*
WRSX
Michigan Radio is a network of five FM public radio stations operated by the University of Michigan through its broadcasting arm, Michigan Public Media. The network is a founding member of National Public Radio and an affiliate of Public Radio ...
91.3 FM, Port Huron, Alternative, Freeform, ''Port Huron's NPR News Station''
*
WORW
WORW (91.9 FM, "The Wave") is a high school radio station located in Port Huron Northern High School broadcasting a CHR/Top 40 format. Licensed to Port Huron, Michigan, it first began broadcasting on September 30, 1981.
In fall of 2005, Faculty ...
91.9 FM, Port Huron, Educational, ''The Wave''
*
WBGV
WBGV (92.5 FM, "Country 92.5") is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. Licensed to Marlette, Michigan, it first began broadcasting in 1999. It serves the central area of Michigan's Thumb, and parts of the Blue Water Area. It can ...
92.5 FM, Marlette, Country, ''The Thumb's Best Country''
*
WBTI
WBTI is a Top 40 radio station licensed to Lexington, Michigan at 96.9 MHz on the FM dial, with an effective radiated power of 3,000 watts. WBTI covers Sanilac County, Michigan and Lambton County, Ontario as well as portions of Lapeer and ...
96.9 FM, Lexington, CHR/Top 40, ''Today's Hit Music''
*
WTGV
WTGV-FM (97.7 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a classic hits/oldies format, serving Sandusky and the Thumb and Blue Water area of Michigan. WTGV is owned and operated by Sanilac Broadcasting.
History
The station began broadcasting in 1971 ...
97.7 FM, Sandusky, Adult Contemporary, ''Light & Easy Listening''
*
CBEF-3-FM 98.3 FM, Sarnia (relays
CBEF
CBEF (1550 AM) is a non-commercial radio station in Windsor, Ontario. It airs the programming of Radio-Canada's Première network.
CBEF is a Class A station broadcasting on the clear-channel frequency of 1550 AM, and is the only full power s ...
), Public, ''Ici Radio-Canada Première''
*
CFGX-FM
CFGX-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts at 99.9 FM in Sarnia, Ontario. The station broadcasts an adult contemporary format with the brand name ''The Fox''. Its main competitors are WGRT and WBTI.
CFGX-FM can be heard in the easter ...
99.9 FM, Sarnia, Hot AC, ''Your Perfect Music Mix''
*
WGRT
WGRT (102.3 FM) is an adult contemporary radio station in Port Huron, Michigan. It is owned by Port Huron Family Radio and broadcasts with a power of 3,000 watts. WGRT signed on in October 1991. The station airs a satellite-delivered AC format ( ...
102.3 FM, Port Huron, Adult Contemporary, ''Your Great Music Station''
*
CHOK
CHOK (1070 AM) is a Canadian radio station, licensed to Sarnia, Ontario and owned by Blackburn Radio. The station broadcasts a country format with local news, talk and sports. CHOK also has an FM translator, CHOK-1-FM, broadcasting at 103.9&nb ...
-1 103.9 FM, Sarnia (relays
CHOK
CHOK (1070 AM) is a Canadian radio station, licensed to Sarnia, Ontario and owned by Blackburn Radio. The station broadcasts a country format with local news, talk and sports. CHOK also has an FM translator, CHOK-1-FM, broadcasting at 103.9&nb ...
AM), Full Service/AC, ''First in Local Information''
*
W288BT 105.5 FM, St. Clair (relays
WHLS
WHLS (1450 AM) is an alternative rock radio station licensed to Port Huron, Michigan, with a power output of 1,000 watts, covering much of St. Clair County, Michigan. The station is owned by Radio First and broadcasts from studios on Huron Aven ...
AM), Active Rock, ''Port Huron's Alternative''
*
CHKS-FM
CHKS-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts at 106.3 FM in Sarnia, Ontario. The station broadcasts a classic hits format with the brand name ''Cool 106.3'' and it also serves Port Huron, Michigan.
CHKS-FM broadcasts in HD.
Range
CHK ...
106.3 FM, Sarnia ON, Mainstream Rock, ''Great Classics and the Best New Rock''
*
WSAQ
WSAQ (107.1 FM) is a country music radio station licensed to Port Huron, Michigan, with an effective radiated power of 6,000 watts. WSAQ covers St. Clair County, Michigan and Lambton County, Ontario as well as portions of Macomb, Lapeer, and S ...
107.1 FM, Port Huron, Country, ''Q-Country, The Greatest Country Music of All Time''
Local AM
*
WMIC
WMIC (660 AM) is a full service radio station licensed to Sandusky, Michigan at 660 kHz on the AM dial, with an power output of 1,000 watts. WMIC covers Sanilac County, Michigan and The Thumb area of Michigan. The station is owned by Sanil ...
660 AM, Sandusky (Daytime Only), Full Service/Country, ''The Thumb's Information Station''
*
CHOK
CHOK (1070 AM) is a Canadian radio station, licensed to Sarnia, Ontario and owned by Blackburn Radio. The station broadcasts a country format with local news, talk and sports. CHOK also has an FM translator, CHOK-1-FM, broadcasting at 103.9&nb ...
1070 AM, Sarnia, Full Service/AC, ''First in Local Information''
*
WHLS
WHLS (1450 AM) is an alternative rock radio station licensed to Port Huron, Michigan, with a power output of 1,000 watts, covering much of St. Clair County, Michigan. The station is owned by Radio First and broadcasts from studios on Huron Aven ...
1450 AM, Port Huron, Active Rock, ''Port Huron's Alternative''
*
WPHM
WPHM (1380 AM) is a news/ talk/sports radio station licensed to Port Huron, Michigan, with a power output of 5,000 watts, covering much of The Thumb area of Michigan. The station is owned by Radio First and broadcasts from studios on Huron Avenu ...
1380 AM, Port Huron, News/Talk/Sports, ''Where the Blue Water Area Comes to Talk''
*
WHLX
WHLX (1590 AM) is an Americana radio station licensed to Marine City, Michigan, with a power output of 1,000 watts day, 102 watts night. The station is owned by Radio First and broadcasts from studios on Huron Avenue in Downtown Port Huron. I ...
1590 AM, Marine City, Active Rock, ''Port Huron's Alternative''
Newspaper
* ''
The Times Herald
''The Times Herald'' is a daily newspaper in Port Huron, Michigan. The newspaper, owned by Gannett, is the only daily paper serving St. Clair County, Michigan as well as parts of Sanilac and Lapeer counties.
''The Times Herald'' history can ...
'
a daily local newspaper serving
St. Clair County, MI, St Clair County and
Sanilac counties. It is owned by
Gannett, which also owns the
Detroit Free Press
The ''Detroit Free Press'' is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, US. The Sunday edition is titled the ''Sunday Free Press''. It is sometimes referred to as the Freep (reflected in the paper's web address, www.freep.com). It primari ...
and
USA Today
''USA Today'' (stylized in all uppercase) is an American daily middle-market newspaper and news broadcasting company. Founded by Al Neuharth on September 15, 1982, the newspaper operates from Gannett's corporate headquarters in Tysons, Virgini ...
.
* Daily editions of the ''
Detroit Free Press
The ''Detroit Free Press'' is the largest daily newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, US. The Sunday edition is titled the ''Sunday Free Press''. It is sometimes referred to as the Freep (reflected in the paper's web address, www.freep.com). It primari ...
'' and ''
The Detroit News
''The Detroit News'' is one of the two major newspapers in the U.S. city of Detroit, Michigan. The paper began in 1873, when it rented space in the rival ''Detroit Free Press'' building. ''The News'' absorbed the '' Detroit Tribune'' on Februa ...
'' are also available throughout the area.
Broadcast television
St. Clair County lies in the
Detroit television market. Channels available on
Comcast
Comcast Corporation (formerly known as American Cable Systems and Comcast Holdings),Before the AT&T merger in 2001, the parent company was Comcast Holdings Corporation. Comcast Holdings Corporation now refers to a subsidiary of Comcast Corpora ...
are as follows:
Detroit Area
*
WJBK
WJBK (channel 2) is a television station in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government o ...
2 (
Fox
Foxes are small to medium-sized, omnivorous mammals belonging to several genera of the family Canidae. They have a flattened skull, upright, triangular ears, a pointed, slightly upturned snout, and a long bushy tail (or ''brush'').
Twelve sp ...
)
*
WDIV-TV
WDIV-TV (channel 4) is a television station in Detroit, Michigan, United States, affiliated with NBC. It serves as the flagship broadcast property of the Graham Media Group subsidiary of Graham Holdings Company. WDIV-TV maintains studio facili ...
4 (
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Entertainment division of NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast, its headquarters are l ...
)
*
WXYZ-TV
WXYZ-TV (channel 7) is a television station in Detroit, Detroit, Michigan, United States, affiliated with American Broadcasting Company, ABC. It is owned by the E. W. Scripps Company alongside Independent station (North America), independent st ...
7 (
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
)
*
WMYD
WMYD (channel 20) is an independent television station in Detroit, Michigan, United States. It is owned by the E. W. Scripps Company alongside ABC affiliate WXYZ-TV (channel 7). Both stations share studios at Broadcast House on 10 Mile Road i ...
20 (
Independent
Independent or Independents may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups
* Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s
* Independ ...
)
*
WPXD 31 (
Ion
An ion () is an atom or molecule with a net electrical charge.
The charge of an electron is considered to be negative by convention and this charge is equal and opposite to the charge of a proton, which is considered to be positive by conve ...
)
*
WADL 38 (
MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV (unofficially abbreviated MyTV, MyNet, MNT or MNTV, and sometimes referred to as My Network) is an American commercial broadcast television syndication service and former television network owned by Fox Corporation, operated by its ...
)
*
WKBD
WKBD-TV (channel 50) is a television station in Detroit, Michigan, United States, affiliated with The CW. It is owned by the CBS News and Stations group alongside CBS owned-and-operated station WWJ-TV (channel 62). Both stations share studios o ...
50 (
The CW
''The'' () is a grammatical Article (grammar), article in English language, English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite ...
)
*
WTVS
WTVS (channel 56) is a PBS member television station in Detroit, Michigan, United States, owned by the Detroit Educational Television Foundation. Its main studios are located at the Riley Broadcast Center and HD Studios in Wixom, with an addi ...
56 (
PBS
The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcasting, public broadcaster and Non-commercial activity, non-commercial, Terrestrial television, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly fu ...
)
*
WWJ-TV
WWJ-TV (channel 62) is a television station in Detroit, Michigan, United States, owned and operated by the CBS television network. Under common ownership with CW affiliate WKBD-TV under the network's CBS News and Stations group, both statio ...
62 (
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
)
Southwestern Ontario
*
CBET-DT
CBET-DT (channel 9) is a CBC Television station in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. The station's studios are located on Riverside Drive West and Crawford Avenue (near the Detroit River) in Downtown Windsor, and its transmitter is located near Concessi ...
(9.1
CBC)
*
CIII-DT-29 (29.1
Global
Global means of or referring to a globe and may also refer to:
Entertainment
* ''Global'' (Paul van Dyk album), 2003
* ''Global'' (Bunji Garlin album), 2007
* ''Global'' (Humanoid album), 1989
* ''Global'' (Todd Rundgren album), 2015
* Bruno ...
)
St. Clair County also receives the following stations from the Sarnia /
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
area, but are currently not carried on cable:
*
CKCO-TV-3 42 (
CTV)
*
CFPL-DT
CFPL-DT (channel 10) is a television station in London, Ontario, Canada, part of the CTV 2 system. It is owned and operated by Bell Media alongside Kitchener-based CTV station CKCO-DT, channel 13 (although the two stations maintain separate op ...
(10.1
CTV Two
CTV 2 is a Canadian English-language television system owned by the Bell Media subsidiary of BCE Inc. The system consists of four terrestrial owned-and-operated television stations (O&Os) in Ontario, one in British Columbia and two regional ...
)
*
CHCH-DT-2
CHCH-DT (channel 11) is an Independent station (North America), independent television station in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Owned by Channel Zero (company), Channel Zero, the station maintains studios on Innovation Drive in the west end of Ham ...
(51.1
Independent
Independent or Independents may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups
* Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s
* Independ ...
)
*
CICO-DT-59 (33.1
TVOntario
TVO Media Education Group (often abbreviated as TVO and stylized on-air as tvo) is a publicly funded English-language educational television network and media organization serving the Canadian province of Ontario. It is operated by the Ontario ...
)
Transportation
Major highways
Two Interstates terminate at the Port Huron-to-Sarnia Blue Water Bridge, and they meet
Highway 402.
* enters the area from the west, coming from Lansing and Flint, terminating at the approach to the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron, along with I-94. On the Canadian side of the border, in
Sarnia
Sarnia is a city in Lambton County, Ontario, Canada. It had a Canada 2021 Census, 2021 population of 72,047, and is the largest city on Lake Huron. Sarnia is located on the eastern bank of the junction between the Upper and Lower Great Lakes w ...
,
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
, the route heads easterly designated as Highway 402. (Once fully completed, the mainline of I-69 will span from the
U.S.–Mexico border in
Brownsville, Texas
Brownsville () is a city in Cameron County in the U.S. state of Texas. It is on the western Gulf Coast in South Texas, adjacent to the border with Matamoros, Mexico. The city covers , and has a population of 186,738 as of the 2020 census. It ...
, to the Canada–United States border, U.S.–Canada border in Port Huron, Michigan.)
* enters the Port Huron area from the southwest, having traversed the entire Metro Detroit region, and, along with I-69, terminates at the approach to the Blue Water Bridge in Port Huron. On the Canadian side of the border, in Sarnia, Ontario, the route heads easterly designated as Highway 402.
*
*
* follows the Lake Huron/Saginaw Bay shoreline, beginning in Bay City, Michigan, Bay City and ending in at junction with I-94/I-69, and BL I-94/BL I-69 on the north side of the city.
* begins at BL I-94 in Marysville just south of the city and continues southerly.
* runs west from M-25 to M-19.
Mass transit
The Blue Water Area Transit system,
created in 1976, includes eight routes in the Port Huron area. Blue Water Transit operates the Blue Water Trolley, which provides a one-hour tour of various local points of interest. Recently, Blue Water Area Transit received a grant from the state to buy new buses for a route between the Port Huron hub and New Baltimore, Michigan, New Baltimore about south. Commuters could take an express bus traveling down I-94 and get off at the 23 Mile Road Suburban Mobility Authority for Regional Transportation, SMART Bus stop. At the same time, another bus will travel down M-25 (Michigan highway), M-25 and M-29 (Michigan highway), M-29 and pick up commuters in Marysville, Michigan, Marysville, Saint Clair, Michigan, Saint Clair and Algonac, Michigan, Algonac before ending up at the same stop on 23 Mile Road. This new system will help people in
St. Clair County travel through Metro Detroit.
Rail
* Amtrak provides intercity passenger rail service on the ''Blue Water (train), Blue Water'' route from Chicago to Port Huron (Amtrak station).
* Two class one freight railroads operate in Port Huron – Canadian National Railway (CN) and CSX Transportation (CSXT) with international connections via the St. Clair Tunnel.
* Via Rail train service from Toronto to Sarnia railway station, Sarnia (part of the Quebec City–Windsor Corridor) is also available; however, this train does not cross the river, requiring passengers to make arrangements for road travel to Port Huron.
Airports
St. Clair County International Airport is a public airport located five miles (8 km) southwest of the central business district.
Notable people
* Edward Goodrich Acheson (1856–1931), inventor of Silicon carbide, carborundum
* Emma Eliza Bower (1852–1937) physician, club-woman, and newspaper owner, publisher, editor
* Burt D. Cady, politician
* Jack Campbell (ice hockey), Jack Campbell, hockey player
* Ezra C. Carleton, mayor and congressman
* Robert Hardy Cleland, judge
* Omar D. Conger, senator for Michigan
* Deepchord, electronic music producer
*
Thomas Edison
Thomas Alva Edison (February 11, 1847October 18, 1931) was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices in fields such as electric power generation, mass communication, sound recording, and motion pictures. These inventio ...
(1847-1931), inventor and entrepreneur, moved to Port Huron in 1854
* Elizabeth Farrand, author and librarian
* Shawn Faulkner, football player
* Otto Fetting, religious leader
* Obadiah Gardner, senator for Maine
* Jim Gosger, baseball player
*Dorothy Henry, illustrator, cartoonist, painter
* Bill Hogg, baseball pitcher
* Herbert W. Kalmbach, attorney for President Richard Nixon
* Fred Lamlein, baseball player
* Michael Mallory, author
* Steve Mazur, guitarist
* Robert J. McIntosh, politician and pilot
* Terry McMillan, author
*
Henry McMorran
Henry Gordon McMorran (June 11, 1844 – July 19, 1929) was an American Republican politician and businessman.
He served five terms in the U.S. Congress as a U.S. Representative from Michigan's 7th congressional district from March 4, 190 ...
, businessman and congressman
* Marko Mitchell, football wide receiver
* Colleen Moore, silent movie era actress
* John Morrow (American football), John Morrow, football center
* Jason Motte, baseball pitcher
* Robert C. Odle, Jr., lawyer
* Clifford Patrick O'Sullivan, judge
* Dick Van Raaphorst, football placekicker
* Kevin Rivers (songwriter), Kevin Rivers, tech businessman and songwriter
* Frank Secory, baseball player and umpire
* Frederick C. Sherman, admiral
* Annah May Soule (1859-1905), professor at Mount Holyoke College
* Nina Spalding Stevens (1876-1959), museum director
* Da Band, Sara Stokes, singer
* Dennis Sullivan, mathematician
* John Swainson, (1925–1994), Governor of Michigan and a Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court
* Stephan Thernstrom, professor and author
* Harold Sines Vance, businessman and government official
* Kris Vernarsky, amateur ice hockey player
* Felix Watts, inventor
* Harry Wismer, broadcaster and sports team owner
See also
*
Port Huron Statement
The Port Huron Statement is a 1962 political manifesto of the American student activist movement Students for a Democratic Society (SDS). It was written by SDS members, and completed on June 15, 1962, at a United Auto Workers (UAW) retreat outside ...
* Shipwrecks of the 1913 Great Lakes storm
* Blue Water River Walk
* That Certain Feeling (film), That Certain Feeling
References
External links
City of Port Huron
Surrounding communities
{{Authority control
Port Huron, Michigan,
Cities in St. Clair County, Michigan
County seats in Michigan
St. Clair River
Populated places on Lake Huron in the United States
Michigan populated places on the St. Clair River
Populated places established in 1857
1857 establishments in Michigan